Darude reveals the history of ‘Sandstorm’ in new interview [Watch]

Finnish artist Darude struck gold with “Sandstorm” in 2000, the lead single off of his debut studio album, Before the Storm, that would go on to not only garner platinum certification, but to become one of the most easily identifiable electronic tracks ever produced. The iconic 16 note melody has become fodder for memes and fan videos on the Internet, a testament to the song’s longevity in the 17 years since its release.

Darude describes “Sandstorm’s” foundation in a recent interview with VICE, noting that he was “more of a club goer” prior to his introduction to music production in 1996/1997. Darude credits the clubs as the sources of the “spark” that would lead him to eventually begin producing music: “There was many a night where I went to the club, come 3:30 when people started to be kicked out, I basically ran home, turned on my computer, and started making music, having just heard something I’d really liked.” This experience led to creation of his signature sound.

The 16 note melody that has since come to define “Sandstorm” arose as a product of Darude’s experimentation, created on an Atari SD two-years prior to “Sandstorm’s” finishing. When Darude presented the bones of “Sandstorm” to record producer Jaakko Salovaara, the track quickly reached completion, requiring only two-days of studio based brainstorming. The interview offers an in depth look at the production behind what would then be, and what has since remained a landmark release.